Rainy Day Monday

There are those times when fortunes and weather patterns collide to give you a rainy Monday, literally and figuratively. And that day is today. So here are some of my favorite rainy day songs that are admittedly mellow, and probably borderline sad. Are there shameless mentions of rain in the titles, and do tears feature prominently in the lyrics? You bet. Will you probably feel like curling up on the couch with a herbal tea? Most likely. Enjoy.

1. Beth Orton “Couldn’t Cause Me No Harm”: an old 90’s gem that sets the stage for us nicely. Always reminds me of how Beth Orton dated Ryan Adams, dumped him, and inspired his fantastically underrated ‘Love is Hell’ album, my favorite depressing album of all time. You go, Beth, you heartbreaker you.
2. Cat Power “Lived in Bars”: Cat Power has a reputation of being an uneven performer (see: Sled Island, 2007), but this smoky classic is reason enough to believe that some singers are best in the studio.
3. Gordon Lightfoot “Early Morning Rain”: one of my all-time favorite songs, period. It will always remind me of listening to it while hiking the highlands on the Isle of Skye before heading to the Talisker distillery for a wee bit of scotch. God, I sound like Peterman.
4. Bob Dylan “Shelter From The Storm”: another classic from Mr. Zimmerman from the essential Blood on the Tracks, a perfect mixture of metaphor and mercy.
5. The Beatles “Misery”: The original Fab Four can’t help but be upbeat, even when misery is the topic of the tune.  Must be all that rain in Liverpool.
6. Bruce Springsteen “Downbound Train”: the Beatles rock us nicely into a deep track from the immortal Born in the USA. It includes my favorite Boss lyric of all time: “I work down at the carwash, where all it ever does is rain”. Tragically comic.
7. Coldplay “Postcards from Far Away”: there is probably a whole album of worthy Coldplay rainy day songs, but I chose a little known piano medley from the Prospekt’s March EP. A lovely little piece of music; you can practically hear the rain hitting the eaves trough.
8. Frightened Rabbit “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms”: a sad little ditty that builds to a rousing clatter. The rabbit isn’t frightened anymore.
9. Eddie Vedder “Without You”: is there anything better than Eddie Vedder live? I can’t think of many things. From the absolutely brilliant Ukulele Songs album, something so pure in devotion, love, and sadness that I still can’t bring myself to listen to it in its entirety years after a bad breakup.
10. Crowded House “World Where You Live”: I’m beginning to realize that this playlist is getting depressing. What comes first, the rain, or the tears? No matter, the troubadours from Down Under are masters at intertwining melancholy with anthemic choruses, leaving you somehow soothed.
11. Sarah Harmer “Uniform Grey”: one of Canada’s cherished darlings. Don’t know if the flute in this live version helps or hinders the cause.
12. Travis “Driftwood”: The Man Who is one of the all-time great rainy day albums. Betcha you’re surprised I didn’t pick ‘Why Does It Always Rain on Me?’ C’mon, give me some credit.
13. Blue Rodeo “Rain Down on Me”: …erm, okay, you got me.
14. Doves “Cedar Room”: the blindingly epic finish to our Rainy Day Monday. The Doves are an absolutely killer band; if you like what you hear, there is so much more on the horizon. May tomorrow bring sunshine!

Sprung Fever

Spring is approaching. Can you feel it in your lungs and in the air? That wonderful two weeks (in Canada at least) where the promise of summer has never been closer. This playlist will get your ass off the couch and ready for sunny days of barbeques, brews, young love, new kisses, patios, road trips, lake swimming, and nostalgia for all that has come and gone and will come again. Go on, get sprung!

1. The Matinee “Young and Lazy”: A promising new band hailing from Quebec channeling more than a little American Girls era Tom Petty here. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The rest of their album attempts early Ryan Adams meets Bon Jovi, but unfortunately not as good as that arranged marriage of Americana sounds. Just stick to thinking about days when you were young and lazy and the world was easy.
2. The Eagles “Already Gone”: I just watched two documentaries on the Eagles, which might have been one too many. I discovered that Glenn Frey might be one of the most arrogant men in rock; someone asked him why the Eagles have stood the test of time, and his answer involved a deadpan and lengthy listing of his greatest hits catalogue. Pompous. Still, the Eagles from ‘72-76 were untouchable, and this hit the road FU anthem is a perfect example. Long live the Eagles and take it easy.
3. Royal Wood “Not Giving Up”:  Canada’s latest adult alternative star. Why does that sound derisive? It shouldn’t….the man known as Royal Wood has a grown up sound that is just starting to catch on, like a mature Electric Light Orchestra with catchy piano bits and heartfelt song writing. Check out “On Top of Your Love” as well.
4. Fitz and the Tantrums “Out of My League” This band deserves your love for their name itself. Their new album is out now and promises to be another great mix of ‘60s retro soul twisting, funkified for modern times. May you find love this summer that feels out of your league and more than a dream.
5. Tame Impala “Not Meant to Be” – if you’ve never heard Tame Impala, Unsung has got you covered. Throw on either of their albums and just let a lazy afternoon drift by. I hear so much Lennon in the vocals that it’s eerie.
6. The Strokes “Chances” – I’m still trying to comprehend the Strokes new album. It’s a bizarro mix of Thriller-esque beats, falsetto, and enough 80’s synthesizer to make Ah Ha blush. But it’s good, and different good, and they can’t keep making ‘Is This It’ over and over again, as much as the 7 remaining Strokes fans would like. As long as they keep taking Chances, we should be alright. See what I did there? Thanks, I’m here all night, try the fish.
7. Thin Lizzy “Cowboy” – Everyone knows the Boys are Back in Town and Jailbreak, two other classics for good weather days. But this little known gem is perfect for a road trip up the country. It’s a mystery why a quintessential Britrock band can sing a song about the wild west in 70’s rock fashion and still make that sound convincing and damn near endearing….when lead singer Phil Lynot wails “lonesome on the trail….LORD I’m just thinking about a certain female!” you really wonder what the story is. Does anyone know why they pronounce Thin Lizzy as ‘Tin’ Lizzy? Beats me.
8. Father John Misty “Well You Can Do It Without Me” The one time drummer of Fleet Foxes is a talent all his own. He reminds me a lot of the Wolf King of LA, who deserves an Unsung all his own…don’t worry, its coming. But back to the Father. This is a tune that could have been recorded in 1970, and it just has that natural ramshackle quality of effortless songwriting. The rest of his latest album ‘Fear Fun’ is well worth checking out, as is his highly amusing website.
9. Stereophonics “Indian Summer” They’ve done it again…..changing tastes and times and the death of a drummer (someone I interviewed once, lovely bloke) still  don’t seem to stop lead singer/songwriter Kelly Jones from seizing the moment and crafting brilliant pop rock songs. And this second single off their new album is the perfect anticipatory post summer anthem….are we getting ahead of ourselves?
10. Steely Dan “Dirty Work” – we close the set with a forgotten classic about the pitfalls of booty calls and home-wrecking. May that be a word of warning as you embark on your summer of love.  Enjoy the beer and hamburger at the bbq, but as Paul Newman says, don’t forget that you have steak at home.

Guilty Pleazzzurs

Ok, stay with me here, this is a turn down a dirrrty alley where the highs are high and the hangover is sugar induced. No self-respecting rocker can like, nay dance uncontrollably, to these songs, but things happen in da club or when you are alone in your car and only the people on the freeway can smirk at your lip synching. Hypothetically speaking of course. Guilty Pleazzzurs….do I mean pleasure or pleasers? You decide.

1. Icona Pop “I Love It” – this is what pop should be. Driving, yelling, and primarily Scandinavian. I love girls singing about crashing cars and screaming “I’m a 90’s bitch” even though they were probably 3 years old in the 90s.
2. Will I Am “Scream and Shout” – is there anything better than a faux East German accent? Almost makes up for a pleasantly plump Britney and my hatred for Will I Am. I refuse to acknowledge him as will.i.am, despite my begrudging respect for his shameless ability to exploit terrible pop songs to obtain great personal wealth. I hope all the money is going to help East German children whose parents didn’t make it as East German voice actors.
3. Sisco “Thong Song” – I now shall make an academic argument that this song is ground zero for every popsong bottle that has blown up and fizzed out in the New Millenium: catchy, provocative, sexy, funny, and honest, what every pop songs strives to be. And this is what guys talk about. At least sometimes. Dumps like a truck indeed. The classicist violin and overwrought soul singing slays me every time.
4. Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis “Thrift Shop” – already 4 months old and likely to soon be relegated to the land of forgotten and used up, like any club dancer past 30 and every pop song in the history of pop songs. That’s why I like rock, it’s timeless. Anyways, I digress – this video is fanatastic and Mackelmore gets extra props for bringing in a Nate Dogg esque singer for the chorus (sorely missed in hip hop), paying homage to the Wire (“Sheeeeit!”),  and making fun of anyone who buys a $50 t-shirt. It had to be said.
5. Kelly Clarkson “Since You Been Gone” – this is probably my favorite pop song of all time. The guitar riff, the voice, the kick-in, all brilliant. But I wish whoever wrote it would have let The Strokes or The Yeah Yeah Yeahs sing it first before selling their soul to a record label so that Kelly Clarkson could become a pop queen.
6. Lady Gaga “Alejandro” – may this song be in your head all day. Abba on Steriods. Gawd, the shamPain is hitting me now.
7. Two Bears “Warm and Easy” – mmm yeah. Leave your war time ambitions at the door. At least that’s what I think he said, I’m really drunk right now and someone just touched my bum.
8. Britney Spears “Toxic” – More Britney, bitch. What did you think this playlist was about?? A high point in her oeuvre if you ask me, whoever wrote it and played the computer instruments did a good job. Yes, that’s snarkasm. She really should have been a Bond villain instead of an x-factor judge.
9. Beck “Milk and Honey” – what is that? A guitar riff? Sounds….foreign. The break down starting at 1:49 is one of my favorite moments in music. God bless Beck and his Midnite Vultures, criminally underrated. Probably deserves an Unsung. Don’t worry, I’m on it.
10. Fallon, Crosby, and Nash  “Party in the USA” – feeeeufph, we almost got lost in that pop purgatory. Time to bring it back to the classics and this perfect cover of Miley Cyrus or Alaska Nebraska or whatever she is. Just goes to show you that a perfect pop song can become golden and timeless in the right hands. Long live pop.

Under African Skies

I’m kind of at a loss trying to describe this playlist…..it’s just jubilant, a perfect reflection of its people. The late great Joe Strummer says it best: “honey for the soul”. Africa has it all – the classics made popular by the west, dirty funk, afro jazz, afro beat, and a saxophone that just won’t quit (Boyoyo Boys!!!). May it transform your next commute, cleaning session, workout, life moment. Hakuna Matata!

Mini Playlist:

Other amazing songs YouTube wouldn’t let me put in a playlist:

These next two were a direct influence on Paul Simon’s work:

The aforementioned saxophone! :

And now a little funk for your monkey: